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Medical Care

For more specific medical advice NHS Direct, 0845 4647 is a useful option and allows you to talk to a doctor or nurse about a particular problem. There is also the online NHS Direct Health Encyclopaedia which provides information on illnesses, conditions, tests and treatments and is intended to complement the NHS Direct Self Help Guide which focuses on common family symptoms.

 

Use of Station Medical Centres

The best strategy when wishing to register your family with the Station Medical Centre is to ask the question. To the best of our knowledge the following Stations will allow families to register:

RAF Benson

RAF Brize Norton

RAF Cosford

RAF Cottesmore

RAF Cranwell

RAF Leuchars

RAF Marham

RAF Wittering

RAF Valley

Most of these are Training Medical Centres but the main criteria for inculsion on the practice list for families is living within the wire; Beacuse of the need for airfield cover Medical Centres cannot offer services to those who live several miles away from camp. Overseas eg. Cyprus, both medical and dental cover are provided for all families.

 

Hospital Waiting Lists

The rules with regard to hospital waiting list varies from Trust to Trust but new guidelines from the Department of Health for England states that if a patient is transferred, the time already waited at the original hospital has to be taken into account at the new hospital. This is not yet the case in the other Devolved Administrations ie Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but discussions are taking place.

Waiting lists in England are organised by local Primary Care Trusts (PCT). Because PCTs are locally managed their rules and regulations tend to differ from one another. If you are moving you are likely to find yourself moving to an area is managed by a different PCT. To find the contact information for your new PCT you can either call NHS Direct or look online using NHS Choices Services finder.

Broadly there are two options, either to remain on the waiting list of the original hospital for the appointment or ask for care to be transferred to a hospital in the new area. If you are in any doubt it is advisable to discuss the choices with your GP.

 

Contacting the NHS

England: Tel: 0845 4647 (NHS Direct) http://www.nhs.uk
Scotland: Tel: 0845 4 24 24 24 (NHS 24) http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk
Wales: Tel: 0845 46 47 (NHS Direct Wales) http://www.wales.nhs.uk
Northern Ireland Tel: 028 9032 4431 (Ask for Dental Branch): http://www.centralservicesagency.n-i.nhs.uk/

 

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